Road safety challengesin built-up areas

PIN Talk Cyprus

19 March 2015

George MorfakisPIN Panel Member for Cyprus

Cyprus has achieved significant progress in road safety

• 55% reduction in road fatalities between 2001 and 2013 ( 9th in EU)

• 27% reduction in road fatalities between 2010 and 2013 ( 5th in EU)

In 2013 Cyprus rose to the 12th place in EU with 51 fatalities per million inhabitants, from the 18th

position in 2010 with 73 fatalities per million inhabitants.

Excellent progress in urban areas also in the last ten years (2004-2013)

10% yearly reduction in fatalities ( 4th in EU), in comparison to 6%

average yearly reduction in the EU

In the same period, Cyprus also presented the largest difference in the EU between the

reduction of fatalities on urban roads and the corresponding reduction on rural roads

But,the percentage of fatalities on urban roads in Cyprus for 2011-2013 was 53%, while the EU average was only 36%

And given the fact that many roads in the villages of Cyprus, have urban characteristics, the percentage of road deaths on roads in built-up areas for that period, rises to 61,6%.

The percentage of serious injuries in built-up areas is even more alarming, as it rises to 82,3%.

67% of road deaths in the urban areas of Cyprus, were, for the period 2011-2013, Power-Two-Wheelers and pedestrians

(36% PTW’s + 31% pedestrians)

Given all the above facts, in my opinion, the greatest road safety challenge for Cyprus in the coming years, is the drastic reduction of

fatalities and serious injuries in built-up areas

Why so many road deaths and injuriesof vulnerable road users

in built-up areas?

There are three main reasons

1. The urban environment is the most demanding

for the drivers and the other road users

• Multiple conflicting movements of traffic (road crossing,

turning right or left or even u-turning, stopping to park, leaving a parking position, etc.,etc.)

• Vehicles with varying speeds and sizes ( cars, buses,

lorries, motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles, all mixed together with pedestrians)

• The greatest concentration of vulnerable road users,

and of course their interaction with fast-moving vehicles

• Multiple distractions

• Obstructions to visibility

2. The road infrastructure in built-up areas is inadequate, especially as regards the

vulnerable road users

• Incomplete footway networks

• Existing footway pavements often too narrow or too rough

• Insufficient pedestrian crossings

• Very few and scattered cycleways

• Inappropriate speed limits

3. Road user behaviourhas hardly improved at all

• Widespread red light violations• Very limited signaling for turning or lane change• Aggressive lane weaving• Frequent non-stopping at stop line on side road• Extensive use of hand held mobile phone• Very widespread illegal parking• Quite frequent drink driving• Drug driving, often in combination with alcohol• Frequent non-use of seat belts and very limited use of seat

belts in rear seats• Frequent non-use of child restraints• Frequent non-use of helmets by PTW’s• Jaywalking

But the most important reason, in my opinion,

for the high numbers of fatalities and serious injuries in built-up areas,

is the extensive violationof the speed limits,

of course in tandem with the above.

On urban 4-lane dual carriageways, the proportion of traffic over the speed limit, ranges from 42% to 80%. The highest speeds recorded were 198 km/h ( speed limit 50 km/h) and 196 km/h ( speed limit 65 km/h).

On 2-lane urban arteries, the proportion of traffic over the speed limit of 50 km/h, reaches 60%. Speeds up to 156 km/h have been recorded on such roads.

On the website of the European Road Safety Observatory (ERSO)

of the European Commission, it is stated that:

“Excess and inappropriate speed is at the core of the road safety problem. The majority of accidents is directly or indirectly related to speed. In fact, speed is involved in all accidents: no speed, no accidents.”

And in PIN Flash 16, it is stated that:

“Only 1% reduction in the mean speed

leads to:

3% reduction in severe injury collisions and

4% reduction in fatal collisions”

The findings of SARTRE4for Cyprus are alarming

Cyprus ranked,

• 1st in amber light violation

• 1st in the probability to break the speed limit

• 2nd in following too closely the vehicle ahead

• 2nd in making/answering a call on the mobile phone

• 1st in “Risky Driving Style”

I believe it is obviousthat the challenges we face

for road safety in the built-up areas are great

My suggestions for facingthese challenges

• Reinstall speed and red light cameras

• Intensify enforcement for illegal parking

• Intensify enforcement for the use of seatbelts, child restraints and helmets

• Intensify well-targeted enforcement for speeding and drink driving

• Reduce the tolerance for speeding

My suggestions ( contd)

• Establish regular road safety inspections

• Complete the footway networks

• Increase the density of pedestrian crossings

• Redefine the speed limits

• Establish the practices of “Sustainable Mobility” in the urban road infrastructure management

Thank you for your attention

George MorfakisPIN Panel Member for Cyprus